Clinker-removing device



March 29, 1927. 1,622,312

W. GAUGHRIN CLINKER REMOVING DEVICE Filed Feb. 12, 1926 Patented Mar. 29, 1927.

insane WILLIAM GAUGHRIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CLINKER-REMOVING DEVICE.

Application filed February My invention relates to furnaces and has for its object the provision of mechanism for removing clinkers from the walls thereof.

The mechanism of my invention includes a clinker removing member, preferably in the form of a knife, a carrier for this member adapted to be placed next a wall of a furnace in the zone of the clinkers and mechanism for causing the carrier to travel, the clinker removing member contacting with the clinkers at their bases and removing the same in its travel. The carrier for the clinker removing member is preferably in the form of a horizontal endless conveyor, such as a chain, this conveyor having a suitable support for locating it in such relation to the selected wall of a furnace that the clinker removing member on the conveyor will discharge the clinkers as the clinker removing member travels with the conveyor.

here my invention is employed in connection with a furnace having an endless traveling chain grate, I desirably employ two clinker removing members that are provided upon the grate respectively adjacent its opposite sides and in position to contact with the base portions of the clinkers as the grate travels in the operation of the furnace. These clinker removing members, preferably. in the form of knives, as stated, are desirably so assembled with the chain grate that they will fall from the grate as the grate rounds the inner orbit of its travel, the clinker removing members being thus prevented from having violent contact with any of the lower stationary portions of the grate structure or furnace.

The invention will be more fully ex plained in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the preferred embodiment of my invention as employed in connection with an endless chain grate. a portion of the furnace and its grate being broken away due to lack of space; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view on line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a part of the structure on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a link in the grate chain, taken on line 4% of Fig. 5; and Fig. 5 is a side view of a chain link, shown partially in section, with the clinker removing knife assembled therewith.

The invention is applicable to furnaces of various types. The furnace shown has 12, 1926. Serial No. 87,816.

upright side walls 1, a back wall 2 and a bottom wall 3, the latter wall being, for example, level with the floor of the furnace room. includes an endless chain'formed of links it which are suitably connected abreast and in tandem, to constitute an endless conveyor for the fuel discharged upon the upper stretch of the chain through a. hopper 5 or in any other manner placed upon the grate. ic endless chain grate travels in an orbit defined by two drums 6 and 7 which are shaped to conform to the chain that encloses them. of rotation, the inner drum 7 being provided upon a shaft 8 which is journaled in adjustable blocks 9 that are movable horizontally between guides 10. The outer drum 6 is mounted upon a shaft 11 upon which is fixed a worm gear 12. This worm gear is turned by a worm 13 which is in mesh therewith and which, itself, is turned by any suitable means such as an electric motor 1%. A truck frame carries the afore- 18 are located beneath the lower stretch of 9c the chain, rollers 20 being journaled upon these rods to engage the lower stretch of the chain to prevent it from sagging. Truck wheels 21 are provided upon shafts 22 that turn within bearings provided at the hotat toms of the plates 15 and 16. These wheels are located on tracks that extend from a suitable distance in front of the furnace to a suitable distance within the furnace to enable the grate structure and its operating mechanism to be pulled out of the furnace and pushed into the furnace.

The clinker removing members, provided in accordance with my invention, are desirably in the form of steel knives having bodies 24 and 25 which are right angular in shape. Each of these bodies carries pins 26 projecting from one of its sides, these pins having tapering heads upon their outer ends. formed with key hole slots 27 in its outermost horizontal side. When the clinker re- The grate structure of the furnace 6 These drums have horizontal axes 70 The rods 17 are 35 One link at each side of the chain is fax.

moving members are to be moved with the chain grate, these pins are inserted through the larger and inner ends of the key hole slots and are then moved into the smaller ends of these slots, the heads of the pins being large enough to prevent them from passing through the smaller ends of said slots. One side of each clinker removing member, the side which carries the pins 26, is thus placed horizontally upon the particular link t carrying it and the other side of this member projects upwardly and is closely adjacent the continuous furnace side wall 1. lVhenever clinkers are to be removed, the clinker removing members are assembled as illustrated with the chain grate links that are to carry them while these links are near the outer drum 6, the grate being, of course, then at rest. It being assumed that the grate is in its functioning position, it is started to travel in its normal direction in which the upper stretch of the chain moves rearwardly, such. travel being eilected by the motor which drives the worm 18 that turns the gear 12 and the drum 6 that is in fixed connection with this gear. The clinkers form above the top stretch of the grate chain, the clinker removing members traveling in the zone of the clinkers. The clinker removing members are in the nature o1 knives, being formed with cutting edges 28. As the chain is caused to tr vel in its normal direction, these knives, whose cutting edges are parallel with and close to the side walls of the "furnace, will engage the clinkers at their base portions and remove them. The clinkers will lodge upon the grate and will be deposited at the rear end thereof upon the furnace floor. When the links 4 which carry the clinker removing knives have been turned by the inner drum 7 to a sutlicient extent, the knives will slide upon these links to bring the pins 26 into the larger portions of the key hole slots 2? formed in the links. hen the grate chain moves sufficiently further, the clinker removing knives will fall away from the grate chain onto the furnace floor whereby they are prevented from coming into engagement with the grate supporting rollers 20 upon the furnace structure or into engag-ement with any other part of the grate structure. The larger ends of the key hole slots are desirably counter-sunk, as illustrated in Fig. 5, so that the heads of the pins will not be caught as the clinker removing knives move away, by gravity, from the chain grate.

Changes may be made without departing from the invention.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. Apparatus for removing clinkers from the side walls of furnaces including an end less traveling conveyor having upper and lower stretches and a clinker removing member upon said conveyor, the conveyor and clinker removing member having interengaging holding formations interacting to prevent separation oi? said conveyor and member when said member is in the upper stretch of the conveyor to enable said member to eliect removal or" clinker and permit 3' j said member to fall from the conveyor upon reversal in the direction of travel of the holding "formation upon the conveyor.

2. Apparatus for removing clinker: from the side walls of "furnaces including an endless traveling conveyor having upper and lower stretches and a clinker removing mem upon said conveyor in the form of a knife having its body portion secured to the coi'iveyor and a clinker cutting edge portion, l l'le conveyor and. clinker removing member raving interengaging holding formations interacting to prevent separation of said con veyor and member when said member is in the upper stretch of the conveyor to enable said member to effect removal or clinker and permitting said member to fall from the conveyor upon reversal in the direction of travel of the holding torn'iation upon the conveyor.

3. Apparatus for removing clinkers from the side walls cl? furnaces including an end less traveling conveyor having upper and lower stretches and a clinker removing menu her upon said conveyor, the conveyor and clinker l'CHlOVlnfZ member having pm and key nole slot holding formations interacting to prevent separation of said conveyor and ineinberwhen said memb r is in the upper stretch of the conveyor to enable said member to eli'ect rcnnovaloi clinkers and permit ting said member to fall from the conveyor upon reversal in the direction of travel of the holding formation upon the conveyor.

l. Apparatus for removing clinkers from the side walls of furnaces including an endtraveling conveyor h ving upper and lower stretches and a clinker removing mein ber upon said conveyor in the form of a knife having its body portion secured to the conveyor and a clinker cutting edge portion,

the conveyor and clinker removing member having pin and key hole slot holding formatious ine cracting to prevent separation oi said conveyor and member when said member is in the upper stretch of the conveyor to enable said member to efiect removal of clinker and permitting said member to fall from the conveyor upon reversal in the direction of travel of the holding formation upon the conveyor. 7

ln witness whereof, l. hereunto subscribe my name.

WILLIAM GAUGHRIN. 

